Head wash utensil



July 11, 195o M.v MUTH u 2,514,584

HEADWASH UTENSIL Filed July 7, 1948 7 s JNVENTOR.' 'IIIIIIIIIIII"t IIIIIIII- e'c/ wd ZZ Patented July 11, ,A1950 UNITED y STATES PATENT OFFICE I 2,514,584' y y HEAD WASH UTENSIL Mary Muth, Chicago, Ill.

Application July 7, 1948, Serial No. 37,443

2 Claims.

My invention relates to hospital and sick room supplies or accessories, and more particularly to utensils for washing the hair of patients who are bedridden or invalids, and one object is to provide a utensil for the above purpose which greatly facilitates the thorough washing of the hair while the patient is in bed.

A further object is to provide a vessel formed in a manner to accommodate the head of the patient in a comfortable position at the head-end of the bed.

Another object is to provide a vessel which contains its own drain board and anti-splash element, whereby to direct and retain all the water incident to the washing operation into the bottom of the vessel.

An important object is to construct the novel vessel in one piece and along lines of simplicity, strength, and sanitation.

With the above objects in View, and any others which may suggest themselves from the description to follow, a better understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the vessel;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section thereof taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a detail section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

While various types of vessels, such as basins and bowls have been employed for washing the hair of bedridden patients, those utensils are of a makeshift character, and my experience with them has been more or less unsatisfactory. In other words, one vessel was not comfortable for the head of the patient; or, a movement of the patients head would cause the vessel to tilt and spill some of its contents. In any case, patients have often shrunk from the task of Washing their hair because of the disturbance and discomfort suffered during the process. It has therefore been my intention to provide a vessel which is satisfactory in all respects and encourages the more frequent Washing of the hair and maintenance of the patients hair and scalp in a sanitary condition.

In accordance with the foregoing, specific reference to the drawing indicates the vessel as an oblong tray I whose walls are sufficiently short to enable the tray to be placed under the head of the patient without undue discomfort when a pillow Illa is placed under the shoulders. The side walls II of the tray are plain, and the back wall I2 is made With a return flange I3 at the top which may act as a guard or anti-splash ele- 2 nent against the turbulence of water inside the ray.

The front wall I5 of the tray is rounded at the top as indicated at I6 and extended inwardly with an inclined section I'I which reaches to a point short of the bottom of the tray. The back Wall is also extended with a carrying handle I 4. The medial portion of the Wall I5 and section I'I are indented with a transverse curvature, as indicated at I8, to comfortably accommodate the head of the patient as shown in Fig. 2 and form a channel to concentrate drainage from the section I'I into the bottom of the tray.

In the operation of the device, the tray receives a partial filling of water or soap suds. Fig. 2 indicates that the hair of the patient lies in the section I'I. The hair is therefore in a fully accessible position for a thorough washing operation, including movements to direct falling hair and soiled soap suds forwardly into the pocket formed in the bottom of the tray by the section I'I, so that the rear portion of the tray is kept fairly clear for the active washing and draining operations. During these, the section I'I and its channel I8 form a drain board which, in connection with the anti-splash flange I3, serves to conne or retain all the water involved in the washing operation in the tray. However, when such operation has been concluded, the tray may be emptied by turning it clockwise from the position of Fig. 2 to an inverted position.

It will now be evident that I have provided a head Washing accessory which is designed in a manner to be both ample in capacity and comfortably low to t under the patients head. At the same time, the tray is formed to retain all the water and suds involved in the washing operation, so that the bedclothes may not become wet or soiled. Further, the novel tray can be made of a plastic material and with curves on all sides, whereby to feel smooth to the touch and comfortable wherever the head or lbody of the patient may contact it. The tray may be produced in a single piece, facilitating its economical manufacture and enabling it to be maintained in a highly sanitary condition.

While I have described the novel accessory along specific lines, various minor changes or refinements may be made therein without departing from its principle, and I reserve the right to such changes or refinements as may come within the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A hairwash utensil comprising a vessel having a front wall being rounded at its uppermost Walls, said front wall being rounded near its upper 10 portion and extending into a rearwardly and downwardly extending drain portiony said iront Wall being concaved adjacent its upper front part 4 to form a head rest, the rear wall having its upper portion anged inwardly to form a splash guard.

MARY MUTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATESy PATENTS Name f Date Number Kynett et al June 23, 1891 

